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Book .C2G.7 



LETTER TO A FRIEND, 

CONCERNING THE 

BUILDING OF THE CAPITOL IN THE CITY OF WASHINGTdN? 

^^f OF CW/vi> 

BT OLAVE8 PETER ORAM, ; V" 

Teacher in Architectural Dravring. 1'"^ U.S. A« 

Washington, November 29, 1817. 

Mr. N. N . 

SIR, 

YOU desired some information about the man-^ 
agement of the building of the Capitol, and the cause 
why the enormous expenses produced so little work? 
You will find, by the perusal of my narrative, that 
I still possess the independent spirit which made me 
leave the Eastern World. I am even as little afraid 
of disgrace, as I am thirsty after fortune; neither do 
I care, if all the rogues of the world cry out, " cruci- 
fy him." I passed a year's employment in the Capi- 
tol, and neither asked nor received any favor. As 
no one can accuse me of ingratitude, I think it is a 
debt I owe the public, to whip some cunning charac= 
ters with publicity. 

The supreme commander is the commissioner, 
colonel Lane. He exerts an arbitrary power all over 
the building. It would be difficult to find one in the 
union more ignorant in the building line than himself. 
I adnfiit, he may know the flattering terms of society, 
but try him upon technical or philosophical subjects, 
he will be found to be totally destitute of geometri- 
cal and physical knowledge. He bears contempt for 



any thing but money, titles, and stations. Pride, the 
common sister to ignorance, leads him into such a 
despotic behavior, that no one in the building, ex- 
cept his rwn creatures, can bear his treatment, I 
have sometimes waited three or four weeks for things 
which might have been settled in the first instance. 
*' Call to-morrow," " I have no leisure," *' I am 
engaged," &c. &c. are generally his answers; and 
that, with a look of the greatest contempt. The prime 
qualities of a base soul, cunning and dissimulation, 
are means by which he creeps into the confidence of 
men in high stations. He knows very well the com- 
bination cf intrigues, but cuts in business the poor 
figure of an automaton. A clerk, a messenger, and 
some runners, are his attendants. I believe 2000 dol- 
lars his salary. 

The prime master in the building is a common 
stone cutter by trade. He cannot draw a line or lay 
out the sections for works cf the least difficulty, not- 
withstanding he has been headman several years. 
The work must suit him, if he does not suit the work* 
Stones are applied where no stones need to be; 
and the vacuum filled up with bricks where the sec- 
tions would be too difficult for this poor headman. 
Mr. Latrobe has favored this man greatly out of a 
system not very admirable, — to forward those who 
cannot by their talents outshine the master. This 
man is grown rich in the public service, or rather in 
his own service. He has built himself, by a con- 
summate hypocrisy and cunning, a tabernacle of faith 
and honor. The City of Washington calls him the 
honorable Blagdon, and almost every one sings hale- 
kijahs to this ambitious character. He looks upon 



the Capitol as if it were his own property: in fact, 
he has usurped so much power, that he can do what 
he pleases in the building. He has a foreman, and, 
I believe, 1500 dollars salary. 

The commissioner's second counsellor, Mr. Har- 
bough, an obscure character, performs no duty in the 
building line. He receives a foreman carpenter's pay, 
and is lodged in the building. 

The fourth one, who keeps himself afloat by artful 
policy, is the famous Mr. Andre. He has establish- 
ed himself by the assistance of Mr. Latrobe. This 
name in former times, when he was quite alone, rank- 
ed high in the line of his profession, but since the 
peace in Europe has thrown a number of artists on 
the American shores, he is found to be but a poor car- 
ver. He pretends, by sophistical discourses, to im~ 
press the idea that his whole duty is to see the work 
■well done. This speculative carver has, for seeing so 
much, got fifteen or twenty thousand dollars in the 
banks. His salary is, I believe, 1500 dollars. 

These four characters are the principal schemers 
in the building. You may easily imagine what a con- 
fusion this must operate. To satisfy their avidity 
for money, their pride and thirst for domination, no 
expenses are thought of: they know always very artful- 
ly how to cover their actions with the common used 
cloak — public interest — or throw faults on those they 
wish to disgrace. 

An immense deal of money is spent for stone and 
stone cutter's work when in reality, there is no neces- 
sitv for it. 



In the inside of this building the stones are eve- 
ry where intermixed with bricks; which must, conse- 
quently, be plastered over. Why throw away so 
much time and expence ? Bricks cost but a trifle in 
comparison with stone, and answer, inside of a build- 
ing, much better the purpose than stone. Bricks 
are more fit for plastering, and more wholesome for 
habitation. Bricks are not subject to the damp of 
the atmosphere or change of temperature. Freestone 
is a true vehicle for damp into the rooms. Blagdon 
has interest in the quarries and in his own trade: his 
trade will always be of the greatest consequence in 
the Capitol. A foreman with few hands, might ea- 
sily do what is really wanted to be done, until the 
centre building will be commenced. 

How much money is lost in the carving de- 
partment! I have seen two carvers employed a whole 
month in carving some trifling leaves round a marble 
base. That will be, for two hands, for twenty-five 
days, at three dollars per day one hundred and fifty 
dollars for each base; and for fourteen bases with ten 
pilasters, (the salary of Mr. Andre for looking at 
them included,) will cost 4,200 dollars; tools, sharp- 
ening, and attendance excepted. This ornament is 
so ill contrived that it will be a miracle if the most of 
it does not break to pieces by setting of the shafts of 
the columns. This is but a trifle of what the influ- 
ence of Mr. Andre cost the public. 

A shipload of carvings are brought over from Ita- 
ly, which, if all expenses be counted, will amount to 
a greater sum than they could be done for at home. 
How much are not broken to pieces? and how ungen- 
erous to the public feelings to pay for works in fo- 



eign countries, and at the same time pay foreigners at 
home. All the heavy expenses for the beautify- 
ing of the Capitol by the sculptoring art, have met 
with very little success. Nothing at all is yet finished 
except an eagle by Mr. Valaperta. The Italians ar- 
gue very sophistically upon the term sculptor. They 
will not allow any thing but human figures under that 
head, and none to be artists but Italians. In fine, 
there is n-othing done except some unfinished models. 
Models are only the preparative for the works. 

A national accademy of fine arts might have been 
established for the money which has been spent to 
no purpose to mercenary artists. 

The capitol will, under any commissioner, be the 
tissue of Penelope, in the hands of such headmen: 
They may build on it forever, to their own interest. 

I shall with pleasure communicate to you, sir, 
what I have seen in Europe respecting the means or 
remedies for the corruption in the building depart- 
ments. 

A general suspension of the work: choose in eve- 
ry trade the best in repute amongt the workmen for 
foreman: the choice ought not to be guided by ante- 
reority or recommendations: an architect with full 
power to give every one orders and drawings to go 
on with: a head clerk of the work: a board of com- 
missioners to meet twice every month, to pass the ac- 
counts and to watch over the architect's probity: 
would, according to experience, and the following 
arguments have a good effect. 

The security in which workmen in general find 
themselves when occupied, makes them stubborn to 
any alteration: therefore a short suspension. The 



foreman being poor and having no influence would 
do any thing in their power to gain a reputation: the 
building would be finished before they could have 
time to be corrupted. No master: the architect should 
be the general master: the clerk and draughtsmen his 
assistants: the architect ought upon due calculations 
promise to finish or advance the building to a cer- 
tain degree within the year: have a premium if done, 
and discharged on failure without any reasonable 
cause. 

The head clerk ought every day take a general in- 
spection of all the parts and workshops in the build- 
ing: assist the architect and have all the accounts rea- 
dy for the board of commissioners. 

Three commissioners, to meet twice a month, 
would not cost more than one who claims a high sa- 
lary for attending every day in appearance to busi- 
ness: who can, by being alone, exert every kind of 
private animosity, and arbitrary proceedings: three 
can hardly be united in committing any mean action, 
and not so easy.imposed upon by artful persons. 

Respectfully, &c. Sec. 



M. '■ V'^ 






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